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Presentation
Presentation
Strategic destination management requires understanding destinations as systems of actors, resources and experiences, whose competitiveness depends on the ability to set priorities, coordinate interests and respond to change. The course develops a strategic perspective on destination management, addressing governance, the role of DMOs, stakeholders, competitiveness, positioning, innovation and sustainability. Through the analysis of different contexts and destinations, students learn to interpret trends, assess challenges and support strategic choices aimed at creating value for visitors, communities and other stakeholders, while balancing competitiveness, sustainability and adaptability.
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Class from course
Class from course
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Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Bachelor | Semestral | 5
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Year | Nature | Language
Year | Nature | Language
2 | Mandatory | Português
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Code
Code
ULHT225-21646
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Prerequisites and corequisites
Prerequisites and corequisites
Not applicable
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Professional Internship
Professional Internship
Não
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Syllabus
Syllabus
1. Tourism geography and the global tourism system 1.1. Geographical space, tourism flows, major world tourism regions and destinations. 1.2. Trends and factors shaping tourism destinations. 2. The tourism destination as a system 2.1. Concepts, resources, actors and components. 2.2. Experience, value co-creation and destination life cycle: strategic implications. 3. Destination governance and management 3.1. DMOs, stakeholders, networks and cooperation. 3.2. Coordination and strategy implementation. 4. Competitiveness and strategy 4.1. Competitiveness models and indicators. 4.2. Positioning, differentiation and strategic options. 5. Innovation and digital transformation 5.1. Innovation, data and intelligence in destination management. 6. Contemporary challenges 6.1. Sustainability, climate change, resilience and strategic adaptation.
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Objectives
Objectives
LO1. Analyse tourism destinations within their geographical context and the global tourism system, recognising major world tourism regions and destinations and interpreting the resources, actors, experiences and trends that shape their management. LO2. Analyse destination governance models and the role of DMOs in stakeholder coordination and strategy implementation. LO3. Assess destination competitiveness and positioning using appropriate models and indicators for strategic analysis. LO4. Interpret destination evolution and identify its implications for strategic decision-making. LO5. Analyse the contribution of innovation and digital transformation to destination management, value creation and adaptability. LO6. Formulate and justify strategic options for tourism destinations, considering competitiveness, sustainability, stakeholders and contemporary challenges.
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Teaching methodologies
Teaching methodologies
The course adopts active, student-centred methodologies, combining interactive lectures, case studies, problem-based learning and flipped classroom activities. Comparative analysis of national and international destinations enables students to apply governance, competitiveness and positioning models to different contexts. Engagement with DMO professionals and other experts, through seminars and, whenever possible, study visits, connects students with destination management practice. Theory-practice sessions include strategic analysis and decision-making challenges, undertaken individually and in groups, fostering critical thinking, argumentation, problem-solving and the application of knowledge to real or simulated situations.
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References
References
Bono i Gispert, O., Anton Clavé, S., & Casadesús Fa, M. (2024). The TDG Barometer: A self-assessment tool to integrate quality in the measurement of tourism destination governance. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(5), e2774. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2774 Gursoy, D., Della Corte, V., Sepe, F., & Luongo, S. (2024). Smart tourism destinations: An overview of current research trends and a future research agenda. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 15(3), 479-495. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-10-2023-0339 Xia, H., Muskat, B., Karl, M., Li, G., & Law, R. (2024). Destination competitiveness research over the past three decades: A computational literature review using topic modelling. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 41(5), 726-742. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2024.2332278
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Assessment
Assessment
Instrumento Peso OA avaliados O que avalia Teste Individual 40% OA1, OA2, OA3, OA4 Contextualização geográfica; sistema-destino; governação/DMO; competitividade; posicionamento; implicações estratégicas da evolução dos destinos Análise Estratégica de um Destino 35% OA2, OA3, OA5, OA6 Aplicação integrada dos modelos a um destino real; diagnóstico e fundamentação de opções estratégicas Pitch e Defesa Individual 15% OA3, OA5, OA6 Capacidade de síntese, argumentação, decisão e defesa das recomendações estratégicas Desafio Estratégico Individual 10% OA1, OA5, OA6 Resposta fundamentada a um problema contemporâneo de gestão de destinos Total 100% OA1-OA6
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Mobility
Mobility
Yes
